Annual Dairy Show at the Franklin County Fair dedication to burn victims

Wednesday

Jul 16, 2014 at 11:00 AM

Megan Herr/The Record Herald

Eighty-eight Holstein cows from throughout Franklin County were on display at the annual dairy show at the Franklin County Fair Thursday evening.

The dairy show has been a part of the Franklin County Fair since the 1960s and Carl Hartman, 64, of St. Thomas, the fair’s livestock chairman, has been in charge for around 25 years.

“We are really big into dairy and we really like to support the youth,” said Hartman.

This year that focus has special meaning as the show was dedicated to frequent dairy show regular, Reese Burdette, 7, of Mercersburg and her grandmother Patricia Stiles. They were seriously injured, suffering burns and smoke inhalation in a house fire at Stiles’ Clear Brook, Va., home May 26.

Stiles was airlifted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center and Reese is being treated Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Reese is the daughter of Claire and Justin Burdette of the Holstein farm Windy Knoll View on Corner Road, Mercersburg, and the family is known for showing their cows at the Franklin County Fair. The Stiles family is well-known for its Jersey cows.

There were signs set up proclaiming wishes for a strong recovery for the two and T-shirts were worn in bearing Reese’s name.

A moment of silence for positive thoughts and prayer was dedicated to Reese when news struck that she wasn’t doing so well last night. She was in stable condition this morning, Hartman said.

The winners

The show has champions in two categories — junior and open — but every cow entered in the show gets placed, from first to last.

The cows are grouped into three classes and range in age from ones born in March of this year to 6 years and older.

Kaleigh Hartman, 7, of St. Thomas, won the grand supreme title with her junior, while her brother Colton Hartman, 9, won junior champion and the open with his fall calf.

Grant Heckman, 17, of Mercersburg won reserve title for youth and Kurt Christman, 53, of Mercersburg was the reserve open winner.

“It felt awesome to win both youth open and youth champion showing,” said Colton. “I just like showing cows.”

“It was really cool to win because this was my first year of 4-H,” said Kaleigh.

“I’m so proud of them both because they both work hard,” said their mother, Jami Hartman. “Me and my husband grew up on farms doing the same thing.”

A family event

Many people who raise cows in the area take part in the dairy show every year and look forward to spending time among friends.

“I like showing them for the fun of it,” said Emily Stuff, 30, who has been raising and showing cows for 22 years. “Everybody here knows everyone and you get to be with your neighbors and family.”

The show is very much a family-oriented event. Many of the people were showing not only their own cows, but their family members’ cows as well.

“I like coming to the fair. It’s like a vacation from the farm,” said Emily Wingert, 18, of Chambersburg. “I like talking to the other people who raise animals.”

Wingert brought five cows in the show and her brother, Ryan, 16, brought one.

“The fair is really friendly and peaceful,” said Cassidy Martin, 12, of Mercersburg. “The competition is not insanely hard.”

Children were enjoying petting and viewing the animals as well as showing them.

Addison Harshman, 5, of Marion was excited to show off her family’s 1-month-old calf, Paisley, to onlookers.

“I like that we can bring cows and calves to the show,” said Addison. “Cows and horses are my favorite.”

The show continues through Saturday at the Chambersburg Rod and Gun Club off Williamson Road.

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